"Color is a power which directly influences the soul" - Wassily Kandinsky
It is probably safe to say that monochrome has dominated our homes. Its high end, fashionable and photographs really well. Our social media timelines seem flooded with the subtle tones of nudes, greys and a hint of colour here and there. Adding colour into ones interior space doesn't seem to be high on everyones list. Is there a slight fear when it comes to colour in interiors? Fear not my Dear friends, this post will give you tips on how to play around with colour in your space and reasons why you should consider adding colour to your interior.
Colour is a mood
Colour instantly arouses emotion. Most times we are unaware that subconsciously we are drawn to colours that depict a current mood. A red lip says I am feeling sexy and bold, an all black outfit says I feel powerful and ready to take on the world. Colour in interiors works the same way. There is a psychology in color that can enhance a particular mood especially in interior spaces. Walking into an advertising agency more often than not the work space is bright and playful to spark your creativity. So here's the question, how does one introduce colour into a space? Here are some tips on how to start living in colour.
Choose a colour.
This is usually the hardest part. The colour you go for is influenced by your mood, what is trending and generally colours you are drawn to. This may cause confusion, in that case no need to fully commit to the colour. Use it as an accent. Accents are basically "a touch of" the colour of choice.
It is also important to know what the colour you choose looks like in different light, day light and artificial light. Often colour changes its appearance depending on the light which is why you may find that the green couch you bought in the store looks like a different kind of green in your home. The surrounding furniture in your home is also very important. In the case of the couch, your wall colour will affect how your couch looks and vise vicer.
*Tip: Get a swatch of the colour you like be it a fabric or paint swatch and put in the area you plan on using it in. If you intend on paint a particular wall get a paint sample and paint a piece of that wall and leave it for a few days. Remember one coat looks different to 3 or 2 of the colour.
2.Warm and cool colours?
When selecting your colour look at all the shades and tones of the warm and cool hue. Warm colours range from your bright yellows to your reds and cool colours are your blues to your greens. How does one tell what is warm and cool? Try associate a colour with something in nature. Red often reminds us of fire or a glass of wine ;), both make us feel warm. On the other end of the spectrum blue is associated with water leaving us feeling cool. Using nature as a colour guild is the best way to determine weather a colour is warm or cool. This then makes it easier to decide how you want a particular room to feel. In most cases, a room with very little natural light should have warmer tones to warm up the room and rooms with lots of natural light work best with cooler tones. It is also important to know the impact of a colour in a space. Warm tones advance making a room appear to be smaller than it is and cool tones recede.
3. Have fun with colour
So here's the fun part, there are no rules when it comes to playing around with colour. Sure there are color methods that work and some that don't work all that well but It is important to rememeber colour is a mood and has a personality, so do you. What makes a space beautiful if when a space has character and tells a story. Have fun.
4. Your interior space is not a showroom
One of the biggest mistakes we make when redecorating our spaces is trying to emulate what we have seen in a showroom, magazine or on Pinterest. Use trends as inspiration and not as rules. What works in one space won't always work in your space. See what works for you and take your time. A home takes time to create so no need to rush it. Shop around, create inspiration boards for yourself then implement.
Shop It, I like it
The Homestead Collection rug by Bofred; Blue Chair by Dokter and Misses; Cuboid Side Table by Design Store; Metal trays by The Urbanative; Glasswear by Wiid Design; Jeopardise Pattern Scatter cushion by Knus; Burrows Sofa By SHF; Uma Planter by Coricraft; Multicoloured Herringbone Blanket by Zara Home
